Category Archives: Hunza Lake

GILGIT, May 26 (APP): Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani is personally monitoring the rise of water level in Atta Abad Hunza lake. This was stated by Commander of the Armed forces in Gilgit-Baltistan, Major General Qamar Javed Bajwa in a news briefing here Wednesday. He said the land sliding was not a new phenomena in the area rather it had occurred in the past as well. He disclosed that through optic fiber the army chief and he himself were monitoring the situation.

The Commander said the next 48 hours were very crucial as the water from the lake would start getting released within this timeframe.

He was said that unprecedented helicopter service backed up the communication system and it was used for transportation of passengers as well as edibles.

The commander assured that Pak Army was fully prepared to handle the lake issue in a professional way and said that compensation for the human loss was paid and assessment for the property loss was also being made which would materialise in course of time.

He said a format for the assessment of losses was designed just to make the entire process transparent, and in this regard, a Major of the army would be part of the surveying team.

Major General Qamar Javed Bajwa termed the relief camps, set for the Internally Displaced People, better than of Sawat and Azad Jammu and Kashmir and said that it was the duty of civil government to facilitate the affectees and the army was only a supporting element.

The commander said army medical teams were on a stand by, to handle any untoward situation, along with medicines and an effective communication system.

The general said that in case of water wave of 20,000 cusec the bridges would be damaged, adding, an alternate system had been prepared by the army to carry on transport services.

GILGIT, May 26 (APP): Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani is personally monitoring the rise of water level in Atta Abad Hunza lake. This was stated by Commander of the Armed forces in Gilgit-Baltistan, Major General Qamar Javed Bajwa in a news briefing here Wednesday. He said the land sliding was not a new phenomena in the area rather it had occurred in the past as well. He disclosed that through optic fiber the army chief and he himself were monitoring the situation.
The Commander said the next 48 hours were very crucial as the water from the lake would start getting released within this timeframe.
He was said that unprecedented helicopter service backed up the communication system and it was used for transportation of passengers as well as edibles.
The commander assured that Pak Army was fully prepared to handle the lake issue in a professional way and said that compensation for the human loss was paid and assessment for the property loss was also being made which would materialise in course of time.
He said a format for the assessment of losses was designed just to make the entire process transparent, and in this regard, a Major of the army would be part of the surveying team.
Major General Qamar Javed Bajwa termed the relief camps, set for the Internally Displaced People, better than of Sawat and Azad Jammu and Kashmir and said that it was the duty of civil government to facilitate the affectees and the army was only a supporting element.
The commander said army medical teams were on a stand by, to handle any untoward situation, along with medicines and an effective communication system.
The general said that in case of water wave of 20,000 cusec the bridges would be damaged, adding, an alternate system had been prepared by the army to carry on transport services.

GILGIT, May 26 (APP): Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) Syed Mehdi Shah while appreciating the compensation package announced by Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani Wednesday said the move would heal the wounds of the victims to a great extent. Talking to APP he said the properties, whether damaged partially or completely, were compensated, besides providing free food to the lake affectees. The Chief Minister said the government would take care of the affected people and all of their needs would be fulfilled on priority basis.

Relief goods worth of Rs 50 million had already been reached the area, he said, adding, an amount of Rs 200,000 would be given to those who lost their land, Rs 400,000 for completely damaged houses and Rs 160,000 would be awarded to those whose houses were partially damaged.

The Chief Minister hailed the support of the federal government in this very hour of need and said, “With the assistance of the federal government, free wheat and flour will be provided to the affectees for the next two months and Rs 100,000 will be given for the submerged properties of Aminabad, Shishkat and Gulmit, besides offering Rs 5000 to each affected family for six months.”

Utility Stores Corporation would also set up its outlets at Gilgit and Sust, he added.

Syed Mehdi Shah said the people of the area were thankful to the federal government for the compensation package.

GILGIT, May 26 (APP): Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) Syed Mehdi Shah while appreciating the compensation package announced by Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani Wednesday said the move would heal the wounds of the victims to a great extent. Talking to APP he said the properties, whether damaged partially or completely, were compensated, besides providing free food to the lake affectees. The Chief Minister said the government would take care of the affected people and all of their needs would be fulfilled on priority basis.
Relief goods worth of Rs 50 million had already been reached the area, he said, adding, an amount of Rs 200,000 would be given to those who lost their land, Rs 400,000 for completely damaged houses and Rs 160,000 would be awarded to those whose houses were partially damaged.
The Chief Minister hailed the support of the federal government in this very hour of need and said, “With the assistance of the federal government, free wheat and flour will be provided to the affectees for the next two months and Rs 100,000 will be given for the submerged properties of Aminabad, Shishkat and Gulmit, besides offering Rs 5000 to each affected family for six months.”
Utility Stores Corporation would also set up its outlets at Gilgit and Sust, he added.
Syed Mehdi Shah said the people of the area were thankful to the federal government for the compensation package.

The Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Retired Lt General Nadeem Ahmed said water outflow from the Hunza lake is expected to spill over on May 28.

According to the National Disaster Management Authority, 2050 cusecs water is entering the lake due to melting glaciers while the water release is 197 cusecs.

Landslides are also expected as the water level in the lake has increased to 3.1 feet in the last 24 hours.

The Hunza Deputy Commissioner Zafar Waqar Taj said that lake water had inundated low-lying areas and the rate of increase in the lake’s water level had been steady. People from the 32 flooded villages have been evacuated and are not allowed to go back. All downstream villages have been evacuated.

The government of Khyber-Pukhtunkhwa province has been asked by Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority to prepare for a possible emergency in the districts of Shangla, Mansehra, Kala Dhaka and Kohistan, downstream from the Hunza Nagar district.

The region is under threat from flooding from a lake that formed after a landslide. Villages in Hunza-Nagar are reported to have been flooded. According to the FOCUS Humanitarian Assistance NGO operating in the area, villages in the Kohistan district are under threat, with some 30,000 to 50,000 people possibly vulnerable. The district has a scattered population of about 500,000, according to official figures.

Meanwhile, a medical team sent by the Punjab government is also arriving in Hunza today, while air service stands operational to provide relief goods and food to the affectees.

The compensation amount is Rs100,000 for those whose houses have submerged, Rs60,000 for those whose houses have partially damaged and Rs5,000 will be given to the affected families for six months.

Gilani said that the government is waiting for the damage-need assessment.

This came after the disaster management authority predicted that the Attabad lake will overflow on May 28.

The prime minister directed the ministries to expedite the decision making process. He said this while addressing a meeting of the Federal Cabinet in Islamabad.

Speaking on other issues, the prime minister informed the Cabinet that he had persuaded Abdul Qayyum Jatoi to reconsider his resignation which he presented after the defeat of the party’s candidate in recent by-elections.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet expressed satisfaction over the implementation status of decisions taken by the Cabinet during 58 meetings held since the present government came into power.

This came after the disaster management authority predicted that the Attabad lake will overflow on May 28.

The prime minister directed the ministries to expedite the decision making process. He said this while addressing a meeting of the Federal Cabinet in Islamabad.

Speaking on other issues, the prime minister informed the Cabinet that he had persuaded Abdul Qayyum Jatoi to reconsider his resignation which he presented after the defeat of the party’s candidate in recent by-elections.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet expressed satisfaction over the implementation status of decisions taken by the Cabinet during 58 meetings held since the present government came into power.